Team Herald
MARGAO: The South Goa Advocates Association in a letter to the Chief Secretary, Law Minister and South Goa MP listed out three main grievances faced by them and also moved the High Court to streamline the functioning of the revenue courts.
Briefing media persons Association President Adv Antonio Clovis Costa said the three main problems faced by advocates, litigants and court staff was the inadequate staff, non-setting up of the Administrative Tribunal for South Goa and construction of the district court without adequate parking space.
He said that the courts are presently functioning with 47 vacancies and within six months another 20 are due to retire. This lack of staff, he said, is putting severe strain on the staff due to which 11 have expired before their retirement and another 11 have taken voluntary retirement.
“This lack of staff is further compounded by the fact that since 2016 there has been no recruitment following a government decision to ban recruitment, which actually amounted to interference in the judiciary,” he said.
Antonio also pointed out that the Goa Administrative Tribunal Act 1965 provides for setting up an Administrative Tribunal in South Goa, which however has not been done since 2009. “People from Canacona, Sanguem Dharbandora and Curchorem have to travel all the way to Panjim for cases before the administrative tribunal,” he said adding that this is an unnecessary trouble and expense for the people.
Besides, he pointed out that the SGPDA and Margao Municipal Council illegally gave permission to construct the South Goa District court building with parking only for 18 cars as against the requirement of 75 as there are hundreds of people visiting the court every day.
“We are demanding that the authorities provide us an alternative with either underground parking or stilt parking nearby,” he said pointing out that the building would create a bottle neck as the Old market traffic island is a few metres away.
Disclosing that the association had moved the High Court for streamlining the revenue court functioning, he said that he was proud that even the High Court observed that the recommendations made by them were required.
The association had suggested computerisation, digitization and case information system. “These changes would make it necessary for the officer to post daily what is the status of the case and this will be in public domain hence will bring about transparency,” he said.
Maintaining that the association did not want to play the game of making an example as promised by the Revenue Minister, he pointed out that corrupt officials who have been suspended in the past have succeeded in getting back into the system.
“That is the reason why we moved the court and the court was pleased with our suggestions,” he said adding that very shortly they would organise a seminar to discuss the problems and solution to the functioning of revenue court and for which seminar the public and the Revenue Minister would be invited .
